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Updated: Jul 26, 2025
Synthesis of Platinum-nickel Nanowires and Optimization for Oxygen Reduction Performance
Published on: April 27, 2018
Modulating the Oxygen Reduction Selectivity in Pt or Pd Chalcogenides via the Ensemble Effect and Electronic Effect
Min Song1, Ming Chen2, Chang Zhang1
1Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage, Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Wuhan 430074, People's Republic of China.
Introducing chalcogens into platinum-group metals creates isolated active sites, enhancing selectivity for hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production via the two-electron oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). This strategy offers a new design principle for efficient H2O2 synthesis.
Area of Science:
- Catalysis
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
Background:
- The atomic ensemble effect influences catalyst selectivity in multielectron reactions.
- Modulating the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) for hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production is crucial.
- Controlling ORR selectivity is key for efficient H2O2 synthesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the ensemble effect on Pt/Pd chalcogenides for the two-electron ORR.
- Develop highly selective catalysts for H2O2 production.
- Understand the mechanism of ORR selectivity transformation.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of Pt/Pd chalcogenide catalysts with isolated active sites.
- X-ray adsorption spectroscopy to analyze electronic structure changes.
- Density functional theory (DFT) calculations to study adsorption energies and reaction pathways.
Main Results:
- Pt/Pd chalcogenides exhibited isolated Pt/Pd active sites.
- ORR selectivity shifted from a four-electron to a two-electron process.
- PtSe2/C achieved 91% selectivity for H2O2 production due to optimal OOH* adsorption.
Conclusions:
- Isolated active sites and tunable electronic properties are crucial for selective H2O2 production.
- Pt/Pd chalcogenides effectively inhibit O-O bond cleavage in ORR.
- This study provides a design principle for selective Pt-group catalysts for H2O2 synthesis.
